Lakers fans, the Sparks just got Ralph Sampson-ed

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No, an off-balance shot on a last-second inbounds play did not eliminate the Sparks from the playoffs, as it did the Lakers in 1986.

But, with 1.3 seconds left, the Sparks were about to stamp their ticket to the WNBA Finals when San Antonio forward Sophia Young caught an inbounds pass and hit a leaning, turnaround 14-foot shot at the buzzer to beat L.A., 67-66, in Game 2 of the best-of-three WNBA Western Conference finals.

For several angles of the improbable shot that hit the backboard, the front of the rim and the backboard again before going in, check out the ‘play of the day’ video at WNBA.com.

The top-seeded Silver Stars’ victory means there will be a deciding Game 3 on Sunday at San Antonio, a place where the third-seeded Sparks have not won since July 26, 2006.

If you wonder whether Sparks Coach Michael Cooper remembers Ralph Sampson’s off-balance prayer that sealed the 1986 NBA Western Conference finals victory for the Houston Rockets, just check out the guy in the No. 21 Lakers uniform who is flat on his back after the shot in this YouTube clip.

-- Karen Chaderjian